


In Which Morgan Marries a Magical Maiden

by Untherius



Category: Howl Series - Diana Wynne Jones
Genre: F/M, Mermaids
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-01
Updated: 2014-11-30
Packaged: 2018-02-27 16:23:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2699483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Untherius/pseuds/Untherius
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Morgan Pendragon finds that he certainly has his hands full with his fiancee, and that's not taking her slippery tail into account.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Which Morgan Marries a Magical Maiden

**Author's Note:**

> A sequel to "In Which Morgan Faces Several Problems at Once." (Okay, I guess I need to link these two stories into a series, but this note will suffice until I decide what to title it.)

Morgan Pendragon slowly awakened. He opened his eyes, but then quickly squeezed them shut again as the sun's morning rays speared his retinas. He grunted. He knew there was a reason he hated mornings. _Wait a minute_ , he thought, _my room doesn't face east!_

Morgan was instantly alert. The next thing he noticed was that his left arm was pinned beneath something heavy. He turned his head into a tangle of red-brown hair. He took a deep breath. The person next to him moved and made a light, ladylike groan.

A pair of lids fluttered open and Morgan found himself gazing into a pair of large, gorgeous, sea-green eyes. He smiled.

“Good morning, beautiful,” he said to her.

She smiled. “Good morning.”

The woman dragged the rest of her hair out of her face and kissed Morgan. She twitched. “You have dragon breath,” she said.

“Your hair smells like lake water,” he said.

“Of course it does. I haven't had a chance to wash it yet, remember?”

Morgan chuckled. “Of course. How could I forget.” He moved to kiss her again, but she stopped him.

“Dragon breath?” she said.

“Oh...sorry.” He moved to rise, but stopped. “Erm...Gwenliani? You're...laying on my arm.”

“You don't really want to get up, do you?”

“No, not really. But my arm's asleep. And I really should do something about that morning breath I apparently have.” His stomach growled. “It seems to be time for breakfast, too.”

Gwenliani stretched her legs, her feet extending from beneath the blanket that covered them.

“You have cute feet, you know that?” said Morgan as he pulled off the blanket.

She giggled. “Oh, Morgan, you're so sweet.” She kissed him on the cheek. “I'll do better once you do something about your breath.”

She sat up and Morgan rolled to his own bare feet. He started to extend a hand, but Gwenliani bounced up in a single, fluid motion. Morgan looked at her inquisitively.

“What?” she said.

“Not that I usually mind, but sometimes it might be nice if you'd let me at least try to be a gentleman once in a while.”

“But I do.”

“When we're in public.”

Gwenliani cocked her head. “Morgan, we're always in public.”

“We're not in public right now.”

“Your family's in the other room. And we're on the floor in your living room. It doesn't count.”

“How do you do that in skirts, anyway?”

“What, leap up like that? Practice.”

“I believe you.” He gently took her left hand and kissed it, then ran his thumb over her fingers, nudging the ring that adorned one of them. The blue-green jewel set into it twinkled brightly in the sunlight. “It's...still a little surreal.”

“A little, yes,” said Gwenliani. “But I'm sure I'll grow used to it.”

“About the time the other one joins it?”

Gwenliani smiled. “I love you, Morgan.”

“I love you, too.”

Morgan strolled to the kitchen, trailing his fiancee. He filled a teakettle and hung it on the hook in the fireplace. Then he laid a piece of wood under it, smacked the lintel, and said, “Fire!” The wood burst into flame. Then Morgan went about preparing a simple breakfast tea while Gwenliani watched. He pulled several canisters off of a shelf and began to measure their contents into a bowl.

He caught her eye. “You have a cute fin, too.”

Gwenliani giggled. “Do I, now?”

“Yes,” he said definitively, “you do.”

“Are you sure you didn't...no, of course you didn't.”

“Didn't what?” said Morgan as he placed the canisters back on their shelf.

“Say all those things to me yesterday just so I'd agree to marry you. But I guess you didn't. I've known you long enough to tell when you're lying. You meant every word you said...didn't you?”

“Of course I did. Why wouldn't I?”

“I'm...a mermaid...with a tail!”

“I like your tail.”

“But it's slimy and scaly!”

“I still like it.”

“Why?”

Morgan furrowed his brow. “You talk about it like it's a bad thing.”

Gwenliani looked away. Morgan placed a finger under her chin and gently lifted it. “Gwena, dear...what happened? Why are you ashamed of your tail?”

Gwenliani closed her eyes. “I...I...” Tears welled up and leaked out from between her lids.

Morgan took her in his arms and hugged her tightly. “If you don't want to talk about it, I'll...well, maybe I won't understand, but I'll try.”

She breathed deeply, then said, “I don't think you'd understand even if I did talk about it.”

“You don't have to tell me.”

“But you wish I would.”

“Yes. But I won't force you.”

Gwenliani sighed. “That's what I love about you, Morgan. You're so much more mature than...well, than anyone else your age.”

“Are you sure? Because you know I can be awfully silly.”

Gwenliani giggled slightly. “What did I do to deserve you?”

Morgan pulled away, looked into her eyes, and shrugged. “I ask myself the same question.”

Gwenliani took a deep breath, held it for a few moments, then slowly released it. “Very well. I'll tell you, but I guarantee you won't like it.”

“Didn't you say that about your tail?”

Gwenliani looked at Morgan for a moment. “You'd better sit down, Dearest.”

Morgan glanced at the kettle hanging over the fire, then sat down next to his fiancee.

Gwenliani sighed. “It's like this...”

She was interrupted by several pairs of small feet pattering into the room. She and Morgan looked over as four children padded over to them. They gazed up at Gwenliani with expectant doe-eyed faces.

She smiled. “Good morning, children,” she said.

“Good morning, Miss Gwenliani,” they said almost together. They were absolutely adorable, especially Orla with her silver ponytail, and Dillena with her wild-looking pink and green hair.

Megan Perry strolled in behind them. Gwenliani glanced up. “I think,” said Megan, “they want to know if they've been good enough.”

Gwenliani looked back at the children. “Well, have you?”

They all nodded.

Gwenliani glanced back at Megan. “As a matter of fact,” said Megan, “they've been perfect angels. That's saying something, let me tell you.”

Gwenliani sighed. “Then I suppose I'll be showing you my tail.” The children's faces lit up. “But,” said Gwenliani, “after breakfast. I think we're all hungry for that, aren't we?”

The children all nodded again.

“Well, so am I,” said Gwenliani. “So why don't you all go into the living room and sit politely while Morgan and I do something about that?”

They abruptly turned around and trotted out of the room.

“I'm impressed,” said Megan. “They _really_ want to see your tail. Quite frankly, so do I.”

Gwenliani winced slightly.

The water in the tea kettle began to boil and everyone's attention was soon well and truly diverted into breakfast. When all was said and done, three pots of Morgan's breakfast herbal tea, two dozen lavender-and-anise-seed scones, several dozen eggs, a pound or so of bacon, a pound of fresh blue elderberries, a pot of porridge, and a whole jar of ollallieberry-cascara jam had been consumed.

Morgan and Mari washed dishes while Gwenliani excused herself to the lavatory. She emerged later wrapped in only a large bath towel. Morgan gaped at her, nearly dropping the teapot he'd nearly finished washing.

“Really, Morgan?” she said.

Morgan blinked and forcibly rinsed off the pot, setting it to dry. “Erm...” he stammered.

“Really,” she said. “You've seen me naked.”

“Oh, he has, has he?” said Sophie indignantly.

“She was in the lake and in aquatic form!” Morgan protested. “Nothing happened!” His mother just looked at him. “Fine,” Morgan added, “we kissed, I proposed, and we kissed some more. Then she hopped out of the water, I watched her tail change back to legs, she put her clothes back on and returned to town. Nothing else!”

“He's right,” said Gwenliani. “We didn't do anything untoward. Morgan has, as always, been a perfect gentleman.” She paused. “Well...in his own way, I suppose.” She winked at Morgan.

A few minutes later, everyone had gathered around a large fountain on the Pendragons' back patio. The children could barely contain their excitement.

Gwenliani exhaled heavily.

Morgan rested a hand on her shoulder. She looked back at him with that look she had when she was nervous about something. He smiled in a way he hoped would be reassuring, then kissed her on the forehead.

“Everyone...turn around please,” said Gwenliani. “Not you, Morgan. I need you to take the towel.”

“Oh,” said Morgan.

Gwenliani stepped into the pool, spread her arms, the towel dropping from her shoulder blades. Morgan caught it as she sank into the water, then below it. She stretched out under the rippling surface. After a few moments, her legs fused together and turned into a tail. It was phenomenal!

She sat up, water cascading off her skin. She spewed water out of her mouth, more water than Morgan knew should have been in there. He had to remind himself that she'd inhaled it. “You can all turn around now,” she said.

Everyone did. The children rushed to the edge of the fountain and peered into the water. Gwenliani lifted her tail, then slowly waved her fin and a couple of feet of scaly skin through the air. The children squealed with glee and Morgan grinned.

The children reached out, then paused. “Can...may we touch you?” asked Dillena.

“Erm...I suppose,” said Gwenliani hesitantly.

The children wasted no time planting their hands all over Gwenliani's tail. “It's slippery!” “It's slimy!” “It's awesome!” And more. They clearly loved it.

“I want one of those,” said Mari.

“Whoa,” said Neil.

“Your tail is beautiful!” said Megan.

“You...you all...like it?” said Gwenliani.

“Of course we like it,” said Gareth. He smirked. “It's kind of sexy.” His wife elbowed him in the ribs. “What?” he protested. “You'd be quite fetching with a tail. Not that you aren't fetching already, of course.”

Megan eyed him. “I'd better be,” she said, poking him in the chest.

He leaned over and kissed her. “You know I love you. But if you were ever inclined to become a mermaid...” He bumped his eyebrows at her.

Megan rolled her eyes. “You're incorrigible.”

Gwenliani started to cry. “Gwena?” said Morgan. He sat down on the edge of the fountain and put an arm around her shoulders. “What's wrong?”

Gwenliani let her tail fall back into the water and slumped against Morgan. “He hates me!” she wailed.

Morgan stiffened. He felt his palms start sweating. None of it was a good sign. “Erm...what?”

“Father!” she sobbed.

Morgan pulled Gwenliani's head against his chest and let her wet his shirt. He exhaled heavily. “Oh, dear,” he said. After a few more moments, he shifted, slid one arm under Gwenliani's tail, lifted her out of the pool, and settled her on its edge. Water ran off of her, puddling onto the brickwork and soaking into Morgan's clothing. He grabbed the towel and held it up while his beloved's tail changed back into legs, draping it over her even before the transformation had finished.

“Let's take you inside,” he suggested. He helped her up and half-carried her back to the living room and settled into the sofa with her. Her tears had tapered off some.

“We're sorry,” said Orla.

“We didn't mean make you cry,” said Dillena.

“It's not you,” said Gwenliani with a sniffle. A couple of the children climbed up onto the sofa and hugged Gwenliani. She smiled and hugged them back.

“Will you stop crying if we be good some more?” asked Roweni.

Arthur picked up Gwenliani's free hand and squeezed it. “If I love you, will that make it better?”

Gwenliani started crying again, though it seemed to Morgan to be just a bit different than it had a short time before. “You're all so wonderful,” she nearly choked.

“Thanks,” said Neil, “I think.”

“So,” said Megan, “what's the problem? I mean, if you don't mind my asking?”

Gwenliani took a deep breath and held it for several moments before letting it back out. “Would you all mind terribly if I went and put my clothes back on?”

“Well...” said Morgan. That made Gwenliani laugh.

Gwenliani looked at the children gathered around her. “Children, I really should go get decent now. Thank you all very much for being so good. It will really help your parents and the rest of us if you continue with that. Can you do that for us?”

They all nodded.

“Good.”

Several minutes later, Gwenliani had returned to the living room. She sat back on the still-damp sofa, her bare feet curled into the large carpet that covered most of the floor. Morgan took her hand in his own. The children sat on the floor while everyone else pulled up chairs or additional patches of floor.

“Now,” said Howl, “what's all this about your father?”

Sophie elbowed him in the ribs.

Gwenliani breathed in, held it, then exhaled heavily. “This is...not something we ever talk about. To anyone. Not even the other mer-folk. Though they...kind of suspect this sort of thing.

“When my parents fell in love, Father had no idea about Mother being a mermaid. Her mother warned her that landers...that's what mer-folk call the rest of you...are fearful of all sorts of things, so she kept that part of her a secret. Though her father expressed serious doubts that she'd be able to keep it for long. And he was right.

“As I told Morgan, we have to return to aquatic form periodically, or we'll die. So Mother occasionally went to visit her own family, always traveling by herself. And on those occasions when Father went off on business, she'd spend a day or two in aquatic form.

“Childbirth was complicated. Each time we...transform...it rearranges everything below the waist. So Mother had to spend the last half of each pregnancy away with her family, returning only after each baby was born. And there are three of us! It bothered Father that he never was there for our births, but Mother convinced him that it was how they did things in her country. Which was sort of true.

“I was thirteen when Father found out. We were all in the rather large tub Mother had convinced Father to have built and we were all in aquatic form. He came home early from one of his business trips. Mother had been telling us all a story when Father opened the bathroom door and walked in on us. He...he was carrying roses...for Mother.”

Gwenliani closed her eyes, tears forming at their corners. Morgan squeezed her hand.

“He dropped them and just stood there, staring. We all just stared back at him. When he backed up, Mother tried to go to him, but she slipped of the edge and landed on the floor. I'll never forget the look on his face, nor do I think I'll ever be able to describe it. But it was horrible. I had nightmares about it for months.

“He flew out the door, even as Mother called after him. As soon as she'd changed back to terrestrial form, she pulled on an undergown and went after him, but he'd already left the house. He didn't come back until almost noon the next day. He barely spoke to any of us for a week.

“Before that, he'd adored my mother. But after? I don't think I've seen him touch her, not even to hold her hand, since that day.”

“That's terrible!” said Megan.

“Where do you live?” growled Mari. “I'll...I'll...do something he won't like.”

The children stood up and gave Gwenliani more hugs. One by one, everyone in the room, even Morgan's father, gave Gwenliani a hug.

Morgan rose abruptly to his feet and turned toward the door. He felt a grip on his hand. He turned back to meet his love's sea-green eyes. “Morgan?” she said. He just glared. “Morgan, whatever you're thinking, please don't.”

“He has no right to treat you like that!” he snapped.

“I know. But...”

“But what? It's not right.”

“You're right. It isn't.”

“So you ironed it all out, I take it?” said Gareth.

“Well...no...not exactly.”

“Not exactly!” said Sophie. “Gwena, if Morgan doesn't go over there and beat some sense into him, I will!”

“No,” pleaded Gwenliani, “please...please don't. We...we've dealt with it.” She paused. “Sort of.”

“Sort of?” said Megan.

“Well...we just...kind of coexist.”

“That's not good enough!” said Morgan.

“I don't understand,” said Mari. “I mean, my family and I just met you yesterday and we already like you. You let us see you with your tail and...well, the children are delighted and so am I, actually. How can your father be so...cold?”

“I...I don't know.” Gwenliani started to tear up again. Morgan sat back down and held her for a couple of minutes.

“Gwena?” he said at length. “If I promise to take my aggressions over this out on the firewood out back, will you promise to confront him? It's important. This has festered far too long.”

“I don't know...”

“If we all do nothing, I fear Calcifer may just go and burn his eyebrows off or something. He'd do it, too, and we wouldn't be able to stop him.”

That made everyone chuckle.

Gwenliani took a few deep breaths. “Fine. I'll do it. But Mother was after him about it for more than a year, so I don't know if it'll do any good.”

“You get first shot. If that doesn't work, the rest of us get to beat on him. How's that sound?”

Gwenliani giggled nervously. “Oh, Morgan, what did I do to deserve you?”

“You mean, besides be your intelligent, wonderful, beautiful self?” He kissed her.

* * *

Falan Belian sat behind his desk going over some papers. He sighed, then looked up at the middle-aged couple seated across from him. “Well,” he said, “it's regrettable, but if you're sure you want to do this...”

His office door burst open, interrupting him. His daughter Gwenliani stormed in and stalked across the room. She slammed her hands down on top of his desk and looked him in the eyes. “What is wrong with you?!” she demanded.

“I...beg your pardon?”

“You heard me! I said, what is wrong with you?”

“I'm with some clients.”

Gwenliani turned her head and nodded to the couple. “Mister Farlan...Missus Farlan. I hope your day has been less eventful than mine.” She turned back to her father. “Well?”

“I'm not sure...”

Gwenliani scooped up all of the papers, shuffled them together, then dropped them onto the floor. “I show my tail to Morgan and he's more in love with me than he was before. I show it to his family, including his folk from Wales who, I might add, are essentially complete strangers, and they love it. Their children are utterly delighted by it. But you? You can't stand the sight of me when I'm like that and you're my father! So what's your problem?!”

Falan blinked at his daughter and she just glared back at him. At length, she turned and picked up the papers. She looked at them, then at the Farlans. “Irreconcilable differences? Seriously? It's none of my business, but whatever it is...” She slammed the papers back onto her father's desk. “...I'm quite sure you can get over it!” She shot her father another look. “And so can you!”

“What...?” said Mr. Farlan. His wife gave him a nudge.

“It's alright, Missus Farlan. If you must know, I'm a mermaid. But my father seems to have a problem with that.”

“Are you really?” said Mrs. Farlan. “That's fabulous!”

Gwenliani rounded on her father again. “You see? They're strangers too and they don't have a problem with it either!” She turned on her heels and stormed out of the office, slamming the door behind her.

Mr. Belian put his fingers to his temples and groaned.

“Do you...need a few minutes, Mister Belian?” said Mr. Farlan.

“I might,” said Mr. Belian, “I might.”


End file.
